REBTES

Developing Regional SME Business Transfer Ecosystems (REBTES) works to develop policy instruments supporting robust business transfer ecosystems, thus contributing to growth, jobs and survival of SMEs in European regions. European entrepreneurs, along with the general population, are aging. At the same time, the number of successions within family declines, so it is important that business owners have alternative exit strategies. Most SME and especially micro enterprise business transfers take place in the firm’s neighborhood / region. Dynamic and well-developed regional business transfer ecosystems are crucial to this process, ensuring that sellers and potential buyers connect.

The objective of REBTES is to improve the relevant policy instruments and through them the regional business transfer ecosystems. The focus is on ensuring well-functioning regional ecosystems on permanent basis. This is achieved by establishing a knowledge pool to strengthen the evidence base, activating inter-regional learning with a strong policy-praxis orientation, and promoting collaborative effort to co-develop and transfer good practices and establish regional dialogue.

REBTES brings together partners from six European regions representing different stages of business transfer ecosystem maturity in terms of policy and implementation. In REBTES, the regions will engage in intensive learning and sharing. The project approach combines (1) ecosystem mapping, (2) structured learning approach and (3) local ecosystem level joint effort.

Ecosystem mapping establishes baseline situation awareness. Structured learning, consisting of knowledge sharing workshops, study visits, staff exchanges and bilateral learning organized based on strengths and challenges of each region, contribute to not only interregional learning by also good practice identification. Local ecosystem effort supports, together with structured learning, policy development.
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